


Head Over Heels

by turonegerton



Series: One Hundred Ways to Say "I Love You" [5]
Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Awkward Tension, Eggsy is a klutz, Happy Ending, Harry is so oblivious, M/M, Merlin is a Little Shit, Pining, Post-Canon, Roxy is lowkey a little shit but she means well
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-20
Updated: 2015-09-20
Packaged: 2018-04-22 12:24:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4835249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turonegerton/pseuds/turonegerton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Eggsy is not a smooth talker and embarrasses himself in front of someone he so desperately loves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Head Over Heels

**Author's Note:**

> Back from my hiatus with writing but just a quickie (meaning I spent three days on this lmao) to continue my series and show that nope I'm not dropping this yet. Again I skipped a few from the list but hey it still works out well. Un'betaed as always

Eggsy’s the go-to agent for honeypots, with his cheeky winks and unbelievable success rate, so it comes to a surprise that he’s an actual klutz around the person he likes. He doesn’t blatantly tell anyone about this, he’s got a reputation to uphold after all, but the signs are there if one pays enough attention and pieces the clues together.

The person in question comes in the form of one Harry Hart. Ever since Harry’s close encounter with death, Eggsy can’t look him properly in the eye. Seeing his unconscious body come back to life in Kingsman’s medical center stirred something deep inside Eggsy, coming to the conclusion that perhaps the reason why he cared deeply for his mentor wasn’t because of gratitude for giving him another chance at a better life, but perhaps a longing for, dare he admit, love.

Because he’s stubborn and doesn’t want to admit to his feelings, he shrugs it off as a schoolboy crush, albeit a distracting one as he comes to realize during their conversation. He daydreams licking the piece of skin that peeks out of Harry’s suit, completely ignoring Harry’s question entirely. Harry clears his throat and waits for Eggsy’s answer. Still dazed by his daydream Eggsy looks up at him mumbling, “What?”

“I was wondering about your recent mission in Portugal,” Harry explains. “Merlin nearly screamed into my comms about your performance, something about exploding too many buildings. What happened Eggsy?”

Eggsy blurts out “Yes” and realizes his response as soon as it comes out of his mouth. Blood creeps up to his cheeks and he hastily excuses himself out of Harry’s office before Harry could say another word, too embarrassed to be in the same room as him after his stupid answer. He doesn’t see the small amused grin in Harry’s face.

***

The memory of his reply repeats in his mind for days. Luckily he gets sent to a week-long mission to Iceland, temporarily distracting him with work. He comes back with smudges of blood on his suit (“Dammit Eggsy it was a surveillance mission how did you end up in a fight?” Merlin groans during his mission report”) but otherwise perfectly fine. Once he finished his report he heads out to the showers, which is where he finds a refreshed Harry stepping out, clad in only a towel. Suddenly the showers are too small, too hot and a distant memory comes back full force. He looks for a place to hide only to crash face first into a wall. Of course Harry hears the groans and notices Eggsy on fetus position lying on the floor. Harry approaches him quickly but before he can ask if he needs assistance, Eggsy stumbles out, pinching his bleeding nose. He leaves a confused, yet worried Harry.

***

At this point Eggsy desperately avoids Harry like a plague.

Eggsy digs himself a deeper hole with his infatuation while Harry only wonders why the sudden cold shoulder.

One time Harry finds Eggsy in one of the HQ kitchens, munching on cereal lazily. As he calls out his name, Eggsy jumps off his seat spilling the cereal all over the table and himself. Taking off his spoiled shirt, Eggsy wipes the table with it, muttering curses and apologies. Just when Harry can reach out to his shoulder Eggsy turns around, stutters an excuse and sprints out of the kitchen. Harry notices how well toned Eggsy’s body was through his soaked shirt, crediting Merlin’s rigorous candidacy training but also speculating that perhaps he’s always been fit.

On brief downtimes between missions Eggsy helps around Merlin’s office, he’s often tasked with carrying mountains of paperwork to and from the tech department. This gives Eggsy time to wander in his thoughts, such as how to approach Harry without being a total git, how to proclaim his love for Harry without being sent off to some remote island far away from civilization, or general made-up situations between him and Harry.

No he is not obsessed with Harry. He’s merely…infatuated.

Which is why he doesn’t hear Harry approaching him from his right, recently leaving his meeting with the other Kingsman branches. It’s also why he doesn’t notice how light his stack of papers was compared to seconds ago. Blinking out of his thoughts he turns his head to find Harry carrying half of the papers, as well as looking terribly annoyed assuming from his knitted eyebrows and his mention of “not expecting this Arthur job to be so technical.”

“H-Harry,” Eggsy manages to stutter out. “What are you doing here?”

“Seeing as I’m carrying papers and we’re both heading to a direction which I believe to be is the tech department, I think I’m helping you with Merlin’s busy work,” Harry cracks a small smile. “Correct me if I’m wrong though.”

They walk in silence, awkward from Eggsy’s perspective while comfortable from Harry’s. It isn’t until they reached Amelia’s office that Eggsy speaks, muttering another excuse as he quickly drops his pile in front of her desk. Before Harry can utter a word, he leaves.

***

Roxy is the first to take notice of Eggsy’s behaviour, especially after one specific conference with all the knights in which Eggsy fussed around his seat looking everywhere but Arthur’s face. So like anything that concerns Roxy, she assesses any variables and creates an assumption. At first she thinks it’s “new boss jitters”. After all Arthur was his mentor during the Lancelot selections and Eggsy currently holds the Galahad title, which is Arthur’s previous role; perhaps he has some burdened pressure of succeeding his mentor’s expectations.

Yet as she watches him gracefully slit an assassin’s throat through the computers in Merlin’s office, the likelihood of burdened pressure as the cause lessens. He seems perfectly fine and doesn’t stumble through any mishaps, much through Merlin’s frustration as he screams to not make a huge mess all over his suit.

As he debriefs in front of Merlin, the likelihood of “new boss jitters” is out of the question. Technically Merlin is also the knights’ boss yet Eggsy seems perfectly at ease around Merlin, sometimes poking fun at him.

She remembers Eggsy crying to her about failing the Lancelot candidacy in front of Harry’s unconscious body, especially how disappointed he looked at him. But that doesn’t seem to be the case as she watches the interaction between Harry and Eggsy. It certainly does not look like disappointment when Harry’s eyes slightly brightens whenever they land on Eggsy.

There is nothing left to do but attack the problem straightforward.

As the knights leave the conference, she grabs Eggsy’s arm and leads him to an empty hallway. Holding him still by gripping his shoulders she asks, “What the hell’s going on with you?”

“I don’t know what you’re on about Rox,” he scoffs. Roxy proceeds to punch him on the shoulder, “Oy what the fu-“

“Why are you acting so strange around Arthur all of a sudden? I’ve noticed it for a while now, how you’re all nervous around him. I’m surprised no one’s caught up to it since we’re all spies, especially Arthur.”

“’M just tired, is all. Don’t worry ‘bout it Rox,” he offers a weak smile.

“No you’re not because I specifically remember you bragging about your 12-hour nap before we went in the room. It’s like you’re hiding something from him,” she pauses before saying one possibility. “You didn’t fuck his dead dog or something, did you?”

“Rox no!” Eggsy pushes her hands away. After a long pause he sighs and runs his hand through his hair, “It’s just, I really really like Harry.”

When Roxy doesn’t respond Eggsy continues, “I don’t know I get all clumsy around him, like he’s a blaring red light of distraction. I can’t even talk to Harry without stammering like an idiot.”

“Oh Eggsy,” she gently rubs the shoulder she punched. “Have you tried asking him out?”

He looks scandalized, as if the mere thought is forbidden, “He’s our boss Roxy! I already know his answer anyways, might as well save him the trouble and not do anything ‘bout it.”

Roxy fights the urge to roll her eyes and instead asks, “Is there anything I can do then?”

“Just please don’t tell Harry everything I said to you.”

“Of course Eggsy. I promise,” she smiles. Eggsy thinks that he has the greatest, most loyal friend in the world.

***

However Eggsy didn’t tell Roxy not to tell Merlin.

Which she totally does.

Of course the first thing Merlin does is laugh, to the point where tears are forming in the corner of his eyes. Then he clears his throat and wipes his glasses, still snickering while doing so. Finally he looks back at Roxy, “Why tell me all of this?”

“I was actually wondering what Arthur thinks of Eggsy and I thought that since you two are best friends he might have told you something,” Roxy explains.

“Nothing that seemed out of the ordinary, just small remarks,” Merlin says. “Though he does talk about Eggsy more often than necessary. My head hurts just thinking about those conversations.”

A grin forms on her lips an idea forming in her head, “How would you like to cooperate with me on a little something so they could stop this stupidity.”

Merlin raises his eyebrow, fearful of Roxy’s grin, “I’m listening.”

***

Two weeks later after successfully dismantling a nuclear bomb, Eggsy is called back to HQ by Merlin.

Merlin hands Eggsy a file as soon as he walks into his office, “I’m assigning you to a honeypot in Spain. Seduce your target, extract the information, leave.”

Eggsy shrugs, “Sounds simple.”

“Far from it actually,” Merlin replies. “Your target is a dangerous man. Your instincts may tell you that he sounds, looks, feels familiar but do not trust him. In that file is the man himself as well as your persona for the mission. Do. Not. Break. Or else you’ll be dead before the party ends. Understood?”

Eggsy nods as Merlin continues, “Rest assured I’ll be your handler. You’ll arrive at the location by sunset, so be dressed by then. Your clothes as well as necessary gadgets are already on the plane. I expect you to be at the hangar in two hours. Dismissed.”

Eggsy frowns at the file and walks away. Had he turned around to ask a question, he might have noticed the grin in Merlin’s face.

***

“Eggsy stop scratching your head, your wig’s about to fall,” Merlin sighs.

“Not my fault it’s so itchy,” Eggsy grumbles. “You’d think for a top-notch spy organization we would have more comfortable wigs.”

Eggsy laughs at the lack of response from Merlin. He adjusts his mask and wig as he climbs up the steps to the masquerade. As soon as he passes through the doors he scans for possible exits as well as any corners for him to watch the crowd from. He feels slightly out of place with his Kingsman-issued suit, with everyone else’s intricate ball gowns and lavish tuxedos. At least his mask is exaggerated enough to blend in with everyone else. He grimaces at all the unnecessary and very expensive decorations all over the place, from the crystal chandeliers to the silk tablecloths, thinking about how much food he could afford for Daisy and his mum with just one goblet. After snatching a drink from one of the trays moving around by the waiters he walks his way towards the bar. A light on the corner of his glasses lights up and he hears static before Merlin says, “Target at three o’clock. Watch out.”

Eggsy tilts his head in acknowledgement while looking for his mark. He spots the man wearing the exact same suit from his file, leaning over the bar and making conversation with the bartender. As the man finishes his talk Eggsy saunters over, downing his drink. He finds a spot to the man’s left and leans against the bar, “I’ll have what this man’s having.”

He gives the mark a wide grin and puts on his most posh accent he can muster, “And why is someone like you sitting by your lonesome self? Surely you can have any woman here.”

“I can ask the same for you,” the man chuckles, his rich, silk voice sending shivers down Eggsy’s spine. “But I prefer the company of the other gender.”

Eggsy swears he’s heard this voice before but his mind is hazy at the moment, determined to finish the mission first so he ignores the familiar feeling of butterflies in his stomach. The bartender hands him his drink and Eggsy raises his glass, “To lonesome nights.”

“To lonesome nights indeed,” the man clinks his glass against his and sips, his eyes never leaving Eggsy’s face as if he’s trying to break down his defenses with his intense gaze. “And who do I thank for this lovely conversation?”

“Edward,” Eggsy holds his hand out.

The man takes it in a handshake; his calloused hand familiar to the touch, Eggsy notices. He almost doesn’t hear the man’s reply, “Pleasure to meet you. The name’s George.”

Eggsy unwillingly lets go of his hand and looks toward the crowd, “How do you feel about dancing?”

“I haven’t danced for years so I don’t think I may be the best partner for you.”

“But dancing is like walking, once you learn it you can never forget it,” he walks towards the floor and looks back to George, the music changing to a slower tune. “Surely you know how to waltz. Can I have this dance?”

He offers his hand and hears George sigh. But he still takes his offer and says, “I do apologize in advance if I accidentally step over your feet.”

Eggsy leads the mark to the dance floor and places his hand to his waist. Despite the height difference he feels fine leading while George allows him, finding amusement in his dance partner. As they sway to the music, Eggsy looks at the man thinking about how much he reminds him of Harry. The way his hair is parted and styled looks similar to Harry’s and while he doesn’t see his face, his eyes have the same shade of whiskey brown that he’s grown to love. He thinks that it’s his way of coping, seeing Harry in his marks so he feels at ease when he seduces them. Yet he wishes that he can be this comfortable around Harry. He finds it ironic that he’s relaxed around strangers yet he can’t even hold eye contact with the man he loves.

As the music comes to an end he grins, “Would you like to go somewhere quieter?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” George says, grabbing his hand as they walk towards one of the balconies. The dark sky contrasts the city lights below with one sole moon shining through the clouds. Eggsy thinks he should bring Harry here one day; he would love this place. They stand in silence for a while, neither making a move as they both look towards the city. He turns to the man and leans forward, “Why don’t I remove that mask? Makes it easier to kiss you.”

His hand grabs both sides of the mask and removes it. His eyes widen and he nearly drops the mask, “Harry?”

Harry quickly reaches for Eggsy’s mask, his mouth slightly open from shock. He recovers faster than Eggsy however and calmly asks, “Eggsy what are you doing here?”

“Merlin sent me here for a mission,” Eggsy explains, his Londoner accent back with a full force, “Hold on, why the hell are you here? And why are you my mark?”

Harry doesn’t answer but instead touches a button on the side of his glasses. Eggsy does the same, only to hear static from the other side. He looks at Harry, his rage slowly seeping out with his furrowed eyebrows and clenched jaw. The last time he saw Harry like this was in the church and he knows someone’s going to die when he’s angry. Most likely Merlin. Harry takes off his glasses and tucks it into his suit’s inner pocket. He pinches the bridge of his nose trying to calm himself, “It seems we’ve been victims to an elaborate prank. You see, I’m also here for a honeypot, though I should’ve wondered why at my current age. And you were also my target.”

Eggsy remembers his mission, “Oh god Harry ‘m so sorry. I swear I wouldn’t have done this if I knew it was you.”

He raises his hand to stop him, “No need to apologize but I should say the same. I may have stepped over the line.”

They were both silent for an awkward amount of time. Eggsy thinks of a way to escape unharmed. He also thinks of ways to torture Merlin if Harry doesn't arrive at HQ first. It isn’t until Harry speaks again that they look at each other, “If it’s any consolation I genuinely enjoyed my time with you. Your dancing skills are spectacular.”

“Learned from the best,” Eggsy shrugs, suddenly shy. “Why would Merlin do this?”

“Probably because he knows my feelings for you.”

“Your what?”

Harry closes his eyes, regretting his choice of words, “I mean...it’s nothing Eggsy.”

Eggsy doesn’t know what comes over him. Whether it’s the drink, the atmosphere, the dance, the confession or all four combined, something in him snaps. He grabs the lapels of Harry’s suit and sloppily presses his lips against Harry’s, thinking this may be the best decision of his life. They separate after what seems like forever, both out of breath. They suddenly hear cheering from their glasses, Eggsy recognizing the voices as Merlin and Roxy. He presses the button and yells, “Oy I can’t believe you told him Rox! I’m never trusting you with anything again!”

He huffs and turns to Harry, the sight of him smiling takes his breath away. He blushes and looks down, “I guess Roxy had the same idea as Merlin.”

Harry holds his chin so that Eggsy’s looking at him, “Maybe this is a good thing.”

He kisses him tenderly and it feels right, the months of awkward tension between them melting away.

***

Needless to say Harry and Eggsy immediately scolds Merlin and Roxy at the conference room when they get back. They don’t regret their "little" prank though.

And if people see Harry and Eggsy shares looks at each other during the meetings, they don’t say anything.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to send me prompts on my [tumblr](http://turonegerton.tumblr.com)!


End file.
